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Audi SQ7 TDI Challenge

The new Audi SQ7 TDI vs the Red Bull Alpha Jet. 435 hp vs 10,600 hp. But the Audi SUV accelerates in just 4.8 seconds from 0 to 100 km/ h. Is that enough for our Le Mans and DTM champion Mike Rockenfeller to win the 300-meter race?

SUV to the power of sport

Thanks to its innovative technology, the new Audi SQ7 TDI places the emphasis squarely on the first word in sport utility vehicle.

There’s no point beating about the bush with the new Audi SQ7 TDI, so we’ll just go ahead and say it: 70,000 rpm in 250 milliseconds, all thanks to 48 volts. As you can see, those stats speak for themselves—especially since they aren’t the kind of figures normally associated with an SUV. That’s because the latest addition to the Audi Q7 stable breaks entirely new ground. And if you still have any doubts, a closer look at those figures should quickly banish them.

The Audi SQ7 TDI is the first production car from Audi to be equipped with a powerful, 48-volt subsidiary electrical system.

The number 48 — which at first seems the least notable — is actually the decisive one.

Half way through last year, Audi showcased a trailblazing feature as part of its experimental study, the Audi RS5 TDI concept. That advance was the 48-volt subsidiary electrical system. It might sound as if you’ve stumbled into a physics lesson, but this is actually of monumental significance when it comes to electrically powered systems in a car. In a nutshell: the higher the voltage, the more systems can be powered, above all energyintensive ones. With the new Audi SQ7 TDI, this technology makes its global debut in a production car. Compared with standard 12-volt solutions, the higher voltage in this breakthrough primarily serves to boost the all-new 4.0-liter, V8 power plant with an electrically driven compressor alongside two conventional exhaust gas turbochargers. Since boost pressure is created purely by electrical means, performance is dynamic especially at lower revs — even from a standing start. In under 250 milliseconds, the compressor wheel reaches 70,000 rpm, delivering the boost pressure required to generate thrust. The result? Raw dynamism without any turbo lag.

Alongside the electrically driven compressor, other contributors to the impressive athleticism of the Audi SQ7 TDI are a staggering 900 newton-meters of torque and 320 kilowatts, which make the sprint from zero to 100 kilometers per hour possible in 4.8 seconds — an achievement worthy of a sports car. Assisting in transferring all that grunt to the wheels is the newly upgraded eight-speed tiptronic transmission. Gear shifts are highly efficient and lightning fast — a blend of benefits that’s central to the Audi SQ7 TDI. Thanks to the electrically driven compressor’s power output at the lower end of the rpm range, average consumption of below 7.2 liters is within reach. The systematic, strategic approach to lightweight construction in the model series also plays a big part in this.

What’s more, the innovative subsidiary electrical system ensures that, for all its brawn, there’s no stinting on its signature creature comforts. The groundbreaking electromechanical active roll stabilization (eAWS) is the secret to enhanced ride comfort on uneven surfaces. Plus, there’s much less side tilt when the car is being driven in a sporty transmission mode. The effect is taut, athletic handling with the tendency to understeer noticeably reduced. This in turn translates into improved lateral acceleration and faster cornering — performance magnified even further by the optional sport differential. Another first for the Audi Q7 model family, variable distribution of torque between the wheels on the rear axle means that the Audi SQ7 TDI hugs each bend to perfection. One way to take driving dynamics up another notch is with the optional all-wheel steering that turns the rear wheels inward by as much as five degrees when steering maneuvers are performed at high speed.

Whether sprinting, cruising through town or on the highway, the Audi SQ7 TDI makes for compelling driving thanks to its state-of-the-art systems such as the electrically driven compressor, breathtaking performance, supreme comfort typical of the series, innovative assistance systems and sophisticated interior options. Among the welcoming touches are full-leather upholstery with contrast stitching, black Alcantara headlining, Sport Plus seats and luxury velour floor mats.

The power that the Audi SQ7 TDI can generate even from a standing start thanks to its electrically driven compressor makes it capable of sprinting from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.8 seconds - an achievement worthy of a sports car.

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Viewed from the outside, there’s no mistaking the sporty DNA of the Audi SQ7 TDI in the hallmark S styling of the Singleframe grille, the subtle hints at the V8 engine on the flanks, the aluminum mirror caps and SQ7 badges on all door sills. As with all the S models, the exhaust system culminates in four chrome-plated — and, in this instance, square-tailpipes.

The Audi SQ7 TDI is not yet on sale. It has not yet been homologated and is therefore not subject to the 1999/94/EG guideline. The latest fuel consumption figures can, however, always be viewed on www.audi.com.

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* The specified fuel consumption and emission data have been determined according to the measurement procedures prescribed by law. Since 1st September 2017, certain new vehicles are already being type-approved according to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), a more realistic test procedure for measuring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Starting on September 1st 2018, the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) will be replaced by the WLTP in stages. Owing to the more realistic test conditions, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions measured according to the WLTP will, in many cases, be higher than those measured according to the NEDC. For further information on the differences between the WLTP and NEDC, please visit www.audi.de/wltp.

We are currently still required by law to state the NEDC figures. In the case of new vehicles which have been type-approved according to the WLTP, the NEDC figures are derived from the WLTP data. It is possible to specify the WLTP figures voluntarily in addition until such time as this is required by law. In cases where the NEDC figures are specified as value ranges, these do not refer to a particular individual vehicle and do not constitute part of the sales offering. They are intended exclusively as a means of comparison between different vehicle types. Additional equipment and accessories (e.g. add-on parts, different tyre formats, etc.) may change the relevant vehicle parameters, such as weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics, and, in conjunction with weather and traffic conditions and individual driving style, may affect fuel consumption, electrical power consumption, CO2 emissions and the performance figures for the vehicle.

Further information on official fuel consumption figures and the official specific CO₂ emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the guide “Information on the fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions and electricity consumption of new cars”, which is available free of charge at all sales dealerships and from DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Strasse 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen, Germany (www.dat.de).